Frozen 2: Scorched
by WellingtonBoot
Summary: Fire is coming to Arendelle. Grand Pabbie senses an omen. Two smoking, huge ships appear at Arendelle's harbour... adventure/family/romance. Full sequel to the original film!
1. Chapter 1

**Charred**

Grand Pabbie paced in a corner of the Valley of the Living Rock with a sense of foreboding. He had consulted all his scriptures and raked all his knowledge yet could not put a stony finger on what was making him feel this way. He looked up to the night sky with wide white eyes, pleading for an answer from the powers that be. Then bowed his head and strained again to understand the source of his apprehension. Suddenly a string of words came to him clear as day, though their message was cryptic.

Gothi the troll priest appeared from behind a tree. He had been watching Pabbie from a distance. "Are you alright, Grand Pabbie?"

"Their world will be enveloped in flames, only to be born anew." Grand Pabbie said aloud.

Gothi hesitated. "What... what are you talking about, Pabbie? Have you had a premonition?"

Grand Pabbie turned to the direction of Arendelle, eyes wide again. Gothi followed his gaze and immediately understood: Pabbie had had a premonition indeed and Arendelle, quite possibly, was to be in fate's crossfire once again.

* * *

Green dress rippling out behind her as she ran, Anna sprinted through the halls of her and Elsa's home with one of their head house servants, Gerda, following flustered behind her with a pen and scroll. Every few metres and at every other room Anna would pause and exclaim, Gerda would in turn scribble something down, trying to keep up with Anna's ramblings.

"Oh and here I think we should have a chain of crocus flowers and have them come all the way from one end of the hall to the other end on both sides... And here we should have large bouquets of flowers... Yes, much bigger than last year... Oh Gerda, what do you think?... And here I think we -"

Anna's spiel was interrupted by the sight of her sister who emerged from a nearby door. Elsa had returned to wearing a crown but her hair remained in a large white braid running down her back, the way she had re-styled it after running away from the kingdom three years before. "Elsa!" she called excitedly.

"Hey, how's planning for the ball coming along?"

"Great! Thought of a few adjustments to the way we planned it last year..." Anna bubbled.

In the background, Gerda cocked an eyebrow and rolled her eyes while smiling as if to say "sure, just a _few_ changes." Elsa caught sight of her do this and chuckled.

"Want to help out later?" Anna asked.

"I would but I've got to meet with a French dignitary, then attend a consul meeting, then..." Elsa reeled off a list of things she had to do that day.

"Oh, of course. I mean I know you have Queen things to do and all that ruling the kingdom stuff..." Anna knotted her fingers together and smiled.

Elsa smiled back warmly and apologetically. "See you tonight for dinner."

"Absolutely." Anna responded as Elsa disappeared down the hall.

* * *

Kristoff, Official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer, sat beneath a tree dozing. His reindeer Sven buried his nose in a sack bag of carrots and happily chomped away not far away. Attached to Sven was the stunning sleigh Anna had given him shortly after Elsa had performed the Great Thaw of Arendelle. It was stacked high not with cubes of ice as it usually was, but with hundreds of flowers. As of three years ago every autumn his girlfriend, Princess Anna, and her sister, Queen Elsa, threw a ball at their castle for the citizens of Arendelle. Due to the volume of people that attend they would open the grounds as well as the ball room of the castle. Due to Anna's love of flowers there would always be many used in decorations and so he had gone on a flower hunting mission for her.

Sven nudged Kristoff hard in the head with his nose. Kristoff stirred and asked what the matter was. He immediately became aware that he'd been dosing for probably _too_ long and jumped onto his feet. "Guess we better take these back before gathering anymore, huh Sven?"

Sven looked affectionately at Kristoff with his tongue dangling out of his mouth, much like a dog might look at its beloved owner.

Kristoff patted Sven fondly on the neck and took seat in the sleigh. It was autumn and Arendelle had a light-medium thickness of snow on the ground and so they set off easily. After a few miles, they rounded a rocky range which brought Arendelle into view. Kristoff looked over the landscape and spotted black smoke rising into the air from some way out in the distance, out of some fog surrounding the kingdom. Most likely from the fjord. Kristoff rose to his feet and squinted in the direction of the smoke. He could make out two huge black tall ships that appeared to be making their way, albeit slowly, towards Arendelle's harbour.

"Are those Arendelle ships? Or some other kingdom's?" He asked aloud. His heart leaped into his throat imaging the worst: a trojan horse style attack on Arendelle and Anna caught in the middle of it. "Let's go, Sven!" He cried out and they raced down the slope to the city.

* * *

Sat around a rectangular wooden table of ancient wood decorated with elaborate rosemaling designs Elsa and a council of hand-picked trusted advisors discussed matters to do with the kingdom: repairs to certain buildings, upcoming events including her and Anna's annual ball and Arendelle's relationships with other kingdoms. Just as they were joking about the continued resentment of the Duke of Weselton towards Arendelle following Elsa cutting ties with his country, a soldier burst into the room.

"Your Majesty." He bowed before speaking again. "Two huge, smoking ships have been spotted approaching Arendelle's harbour. We've readied the cannons. What would you like us to do?"

Everybody rose immediately to their feet although none as fast as Elsa. She shot a glance through the nearest window that had a view of the fjord. She saw them. Two huge masses of charred wood and smoke. Their sails were mostly in tatters and their masts were broken if not completely destroyed. She couldn't make out a crest amongst all the damage to tell her their kingdom of origin.

A member of her council, a medium-height man with broad shoulders and a behemoth beard asked the soldier with indignation "How were they not spotted earlier?"

"Sir, there's fog on the fjord and visibility isn't gre-"

"That doesn't matter now." Elsa interjected. "I'm going to the harbour to get a better look."

The soldier and a couple of the castle guards accompanied Elsa outside into the crisp Nordic air. It was tainted with the smell of burnt wood and gunpowder. Elsa could almost taste the charcoal on her tongue. Eyes bright, she spotted the fog down the fjord just as the soldier had reported. It draped across the water like a grand curtain. The ships in question had only recently broken out of the fog. They glided towards the opening to Arendelle's port. Castle guards flanked the Queen faithfully, prepared to lay their lives down to protect her at a second's notice. A man who Elsa knew as the captain of the port guards was running towards her.

"Your Majesty," he said after catching his breath. "Cannons are trained on the ships. We have had no indication of whether they are friendly or foe yet and the guards have reported there is scarcely anyone on their decks. What should we do?"

Elsa was getting used to the signature pleading look he was giving her. Others showed it to her when they needed her direction: wide eyes, full attention and a tinge of apprehension evident in all features of their face. It had been hard at first, the expectation and responsibility that came with wearing the crown, especially since she had lost her father several years before and thus hadn't been mentored much on the art of being a ruler. Not to mention spending much of her teenage and young adult life hiding in her bedroom. But in this moment, she focused only on the decision at hand: if she let the ships dock it could spell trouble for the kingdom; there could be hostile persons stowed below the decks. Yet, the ships were badly damaged indicating that they had been at war and therefore may not pose much of a threat at all.

"Captain!" a port guard called to the man stood beside her and pointed at the foremost ship. A figure had appeared on the deck and was holding up a large white flag. It billowed in the wind out towards the stern.

Seeing this token gesture of surrender Elsa made her call: "Hold your fire, and call for a hundred soldiers to join me in welcoming our visitors."

The captain bowed low and went to do as she bid. Elsa wondered where Anna might be but hoped she would stay out of sight just in case things became hairy.

The ships drew up to dock. Slowly but surely more figures began to appear on their decks. Two individuals, one from each ship, climbed down from the hulls and landed on the jetty, almost in unison. Elsa stood at the end of the jetty with one hundred Arendelle soldiers. The soldiers stood in rigid formation with their weapons sheathed. The mysterious individuals approached at steady a walk. Elsa watched coolly. They wore black metal armour decorated with orange and red intricate designs that snaked up their arms, across their torsos and crossed their thighs. Elsa spotted the occasional rose and realised the snaking lines possessed thorns. The individuals also wore black metal helmets which were closed over their faces. When they were a handful of metres away they both halted. They removed their helmets and tucked them under their left arms and to their sides. They raised their right hands, formed fists with them and placed them over their hearts, and then both bowed low and held themselves low for several seconds before standing tall again. Now Elsa could get a good look at them. Both were very tanned - far browner than she had ever seen a person in fact - and had heads of thick black hair. One was a man with a devilishly handsome face and smoothed over locks. The other was a beautiful woman whose wavy hair had cascaded down, out and fallen around her shoulders when she had removed her helmet. Both had large brown eyes that made Elsa think of dark chocolate. Both also wore large genial grins on their faces.

The man spoke first. "Do we have the pleasure of standing before the famous Snow Queen, Queen Elsa of Arendelle?" His accent was thick but understandable.

"Yes." Elsa answered, still looking cool.

The man and woman exchanged glances and their smiles became even more beaming.

The woman spoke: "Your Majesty, I am Princess Esse and the man beside me is Prince Demer and we are from isles far, far south of here. Our ships were badly damaged in battle and if you would be kind enough to let us and our crewmen stay we would like to repair our ships here in Arendelle. As soon as we are fit to sail we will return home."

Elsa could not help marvelling at the way they beamed up at her. They had an energy that engulfed her. Intrigued and moved to feel sympathetic she granted their wish. Thankful and relieved, the brother and sister, prince and princess, exchanged glances once more and then called to their ship crews in a foreign language. Their crew mates cheered at the news.

Meanwhile, Kristoff had been watching from a safe distance with Sven. He hoped Elsa had made a good call.


	2. Chapter 2

**Parched**

It was evening and Olaf waddled on his thick block feet down the spiral staircase of Anna and Elsa's castle, almost slipping with every drop in height. He slalomed, albeit uncoordinatedly, through the servants carrying food dishes from the kitchen to the dining room. Servants tutted and sighed every time he almost made them drop a dish, all the while he repeatedly chirped "sorry! Pardon me! Coming through!"

Olaf arrived at the doors to the dining room and was just in time for the last servant who set down a dish to leave the room, thereby giving him a glance inside as the door swung closed. He spotted Anna and Elsa's mysterious guests sat at the table with them. "Sorry, Olaf, I need you not to frighten our dinner guests senseless tonight by saying hello to them. Or at least, give it a day before scaring them witless, okay?" Elsa had asked of him with a smile and a wink earlier in the evening. Olaf had not got what the problem might be with their guests meeting him but since Elsa had stopped him melting into a puddle after The Great Thaw he figured he would pay heed to her request. Olaf turned to walk away and slammed right into a servant carrying a jug of water. "Sorry!"

In the dining room, they all heard the thud of the servant and the jug hitting the floor, followed by Olaf's apologetic cry. The dark-haired guests looked up and towards the door with frowns. Anna and Elsa exchanged glances. Both breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Olaf's chirpy voice grow distant and eventually inaudible.

Elsa sat at the head of the table, Anna sat on her right, and the guests sat on Elsa's left. It was a large dining table able to sit up to forty people. Esse and Demer had removed their armour and wore clothes more fitting of royalty: white high-collared shirts, persimmon-orange cravats, black velvet vests, decorated black jackets, pantaloons and leather riding boots. Rose-inspired designs decorated their formal clothing as had their armour and were embroidered using various shades of orange and red thread, contrasting the floral designs of green, blue, yellow and pink on Elsa and Anna's dresses.

"Which kingdom are you from again?" Anna asked after a spoonful.

"Far south of here..." Demer answered.

"Much warmer than here..." Esse added, mock shivering.

"Far more people than here. A place called Cabral." Demer finished.

"I've not heard of it." Anna admitted.

Esse laughed, surprised. "Oh really? You must not get out of your kingdom walls much."

It hadn't been meant as a jibe yet Elsa and Anna both felt the comment prod at their memories of being kept behind closed doors for most of their lives. Anna frowned and was about to retaliate but was stopped by Elsa placing a hand on hers.

When dinner came to a close Demer and Esse stood and did their signature bow with a fist over their hearts. They wished to return to their crew mates to see how they were doing and thanked the sisters for their hospitality. They turned and made for the door. Shortly after the doors swung shut behind them Elsa and Anna heard a male shriek of surprise followed by a scream from what sounded like Olaf. The sisters ran through the doors. Demer had drawn his sword and swung it at Olaf's head, Olaf in turn had thrown his head high into the air and in the nick of time too. Demer made to swing a second time. Elsa threw up an arm as fast as lightning. Demer's arm froze, literally. Demer tried to pull his arm out of the thick column of ice that had risen from the floor.

"Oh, Elsa! Thank you!" Olaf ran around Demer's legs and hugged Elsa tightly.

"Olaf, what did I say about staying out of sight?"

Olaf downcast his eyes apologetically. "But we always have dinner together."

"A little help here?" Demer asked, still struggling with his arm.

While Elsa thawed the ice column around Demer's arm Esse crouched down beside Olaf, eyes wide and mouth agape in disbelief.

"Are you...?" she began asking Olaf. "Is he..." she now looked at Anna and Elsa "...a living thing?"

"Yeah, why?" Olaf answered.

Demer, arm free and sword now sheathed, came to stand beside Esse. "Impossible..."

"That's strong magic you have indeed, Queen Elsa." Esse said, eyes still wide. "Well... we'll be taking our leave now. Thank you again for dinner."

While the brother and sister walked away the looks that had been on their faces were suspended in Anna's mind. They had looked anxious. Anna bit her lip and tried not to assume the worst; that they might now fear Elsa and might call on their soldiers and crew from overseas to attack them. Elsa chatted with the snowman, oblivious.

* * *

The gates to the castle, now forever open, were adorned by house servants welcoming guests to the castle. Citizens of Arendelle through to dignitaries from other lands sauntered into the grounds chatting, laughing and smiling. The habour was crowded with tall ships and activity buzzed on its jetties.

In the castle Elsa and Anna fussed in their walk-in wardrobe. Elsa waved her arms and enhanced their dresses with her magic. They both turned to the mirror on the adjacent wall.

"You look perfect." Elsa said to Anna.

"You look more perfect," Anna replied.

Three thuds on the room's door caught their attention. "Ladies, it's me, Kristoff."

Anna gasped with excitement, skipped to the door and pulled it open. Kristoff appeared looking the smartest they had ever seen him. His hair was slick and neat, he wore polished boots and a suit of Nordic formal wear. He looked handsome. Anna kissed Kristoff on the lips, took one of his hands and they started walking towards the ballroom. Elsa followed them. For a split-second Kristoff noticed sparkling lights dancing around his body. No sooner had he noticed them they had gone. He cocked an eyebrow and then turned his head to look at Elsa as they continued to walk, Anna leading the way. Elsa caught his eye and gave him a quick wink. Thanks to her magic his outfit now looked flawless. Kristoff scratched the back of his head nervously and gave Elsa a knowing, thankful smile.

They entered the ball room. Their steward announced each of them in turn as they entered: Princess Anna and Ice Master Kristoff, followed by Queen Elsa. The room turned to face them respectfully as they entered. Elsa was soon overcome with important people from foreign lands wanting to make her acquaintance, Anna and Kristoff headed to the nearest tray of canapes. Anna scanned the room with bright eyes. So many people, so little time, she thought to herself and breathed a sigh of gratitude that she and Elsa had promised never to close their castle gates ever again.

Behind Anna a tall dark man cleared his throat and offered his hand. It was Demer. Anna turned to face him, a little startled by the noise. "May I give you a dance?" He asked.

Kristoff squared up to him and puffed his chest. "Anna already has a dancing partner, thank you."

Anna placed her hands on Kristoff's arms and chuckled. "What's with you Kristoff? Prince Demer is just being polite." Demer was looking with bemusement at Kristoff. Indeed, he wasn't trying to take his girl. Kristoff puffed again but folded his arms and stepped out of the way. "Sorry, go right on ahead. But the next dance is with me, you hear." Anna punched him softly on the arm before heading with Demer to the dance floor.

Meanwhile, Olaf waddled about outside enjoying the crowds of people. They all marvelled at him. The guards had been asked by Elsa to keep an eye out for his safety just in case of another Demer-like incident.

As Demer and Anna danced she peeked occasionally over to Elsa, then to Kristoff, then back to Elsa. Kristoff was busying himself eating food. Elsa on the other hand was starting to come up against handsome, esteemed young men trying to court her. It happened every ball. Despite all that had happened three years ago and Elsa opening up as a person, the words of Hans's still rung true: "no one was getting anywhere with her." Anna smiled to herself as Elsa graciously ducked and weaved their polite verbal advances with smiles and her catchphrase: "I don't dance."

When the song ended Anna bolted for Elsa. She turned to Elsa's newest acquaintance "Sorry to interrupt. You don't mind if I take my sister for a dance, do you?" They dared not say no. Anna took Elsa's glove-free hands in her own and began to pull her towards the dancefloor.

"Whoa. Wait. I don't dance remember."

"Oh, come on?" Anna rolled her eyes. "Besides, I'm saving you from drowning in handsome young men."

"No, Anna." Elsa said indignantly but with a smile.

"For me. Please?" Anna gave Elsa her most earnest look.

Elsa couldn't take it and folded. "All right but just this onc-" Anna jerked Elsa on to the dance floor cutting off the end of her sentence.

Kristoff watched this unfold on one side of the room. At first he felt irritated Anna had forgotten her next dance was to be with him, but the feelings melted away partly because he was used to Anna's scattyness and also partly because he knew how much she adored her sister and he wanted them to enjoy their moment.

Elsa felt unpractised at first but with Anna's bottomless enthusiasm she eventually relaxed into the sway of the dance. "See, dancing isn't so bad," Anna teased.

On the other side of the room Prince Demer and Princess Esse soaked in the atmosphere. Esse had changed into a beautiful gown of her kingdom's colours. Demer wore his smartest duck tail jacket. The ball was a tame affair compared to the royal parties in their home country but they liked how quaint it was. "So, I know we set sail originally to put a chase on our enemies, but how would finding you a wife do as a bonus?" Esse asked her brother. He gave her a look as if to ask, "what's up your sleeve now?" Esse made a deliberate glance towards Elsa and Anna in the centre of the room. Demer followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow.

When the song came to an end Anna turned to find Kristoff standing by her side, arm offered. She took it and apologised for forgetting her promise to dance with him next with a peck on the cheek. Elsa on the other hand had turned to find herself flanked by Demer. He offered an arm. Elsa looked at it awkwardly. "Thank you for the offer, but I really don't dance."

"That wasn't dancing just then?" He retorted teasingly.

"Sorry." Elsa walked away leaving him stranded in the middle of the dance floor.

Demer wasn't used to women turning him down flat. He straightened his posture and then felt a hand on his back. It was Esse. She was laughing. "Can't win them all, huh? Really didn't think you'd get shot down so bad, brother, honest. Those sisters are near opposites." He shrugged and offered to dance with her instead. She accepted gladly.

Kristoff and Anna turned many heads as they danced yet Kristoff's eyes were focused solely on Anna. Anna's were absorbed by him looking at her. They turned and danced into another couple. They apologised simultaneously then looked sheepishly at each other before continuing.

"Anna, I- there's something I've been wanting to ask." Kirstoff said.

"Yes..." Anna raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I'm not really sure how to say it..."

"Yes..." Anna's cheeks grew pinker.

"We've been together for some time and I'm hardly a guy you just met, right? And so if I was to ask a certain something… Elsa wouldn't start another eternal winter…" Kristoff mumbled.

"Oh, Kristoff just say whatever it is you're trying to say!"

Kristoff cleared his throat and sunk to one knee. "Anna, will you marry me?" From inside his jacket he pulled out a betrothal necklace and offered it to her.

She gasped aloud and everyone's heads turned. "Yes!" She squealed.

The room exploded into applause. Standing near her throne Elsa clapped too, her cheeks rosy with happiness.

* * *

In a corner of the castle grounds Sven was dozing in a royal barn especially built from him. He was stirred by ruffling noises nearby. His ears pricked up. More rustling. He got up onto his hooves and popped his head over the stable door. The party was a dozen or so metres away. He looked with want at the lights, noises and people, wishing he could be part of it too. More rustling: much louder this time. Sven's eyes shot to the bushes lining the grounds. He spotted three figures moving through the bushes. They had hoods of dark material covering their faces. He began to kick his stable door and grunt. The figures noticed his fuss and moved quicker.

Olaf had socialised himself to the edge of the party and was now not far from Sven. His non-existent snow ears picked up on Sven's fuss and he bounded over on his big snow feet.

"Sven, why are you acting so crazy?" Olaf asked.

Sven's eyes were wide and his nostrils flared. He tossed his head in the direction of the cloaked figures.

"You got a crick in your neck, Sven?"

Sven rolled his eyes and tried again, tossing his head towards the bushes lining the castle walls.

While Olaf continued to try and fail to understand Sven's gestures two of the cloaked figures snuck into a bush behind Olaf undetected. In a split second, a large sack was thrown over Olaf. A figure rushed forward and shoved a bottle of a strong sedative under Sven's nostrils before he could neigh for help. Sven dropped to the ground, unconscious. Olaf tumbled and cried out in the sack but it was so thick it muffled the noise. There were three mysterious figures. Two nodded to the third; they tied shut Olaf's sack and escaped with him into the night whilst the third individual began to make their way towards the ball.

* * *

In the ballroom, Elsa felt overwhelmed with talking to so many people combined with the excitement of Kristoff and Anna's engagement. She excused herself and headed into a quiet corridor to get a break. To her right was a small room with naval maps on its walls and a table. It had beautiful views over the fjord. She headed inside. Unknown to her she was being tailed. Elsa situated herself close to a window and looked out at the scenery. She heard a creak from the door's hinges. She turned. Her rear hand tensed, ready to shoot ice should she need to. Standing across the room, hands raised and palms facing forward in surrender was Esse. "Oh, it's you." Elsa said. "Why did you follow me in here?" Elsa dissipated the ice spell she had had brewing in her hand.

"I wanted to talk to you alone."

"What about?"

The candles illuminating the room flickered.

"Your powers."

Elsa went from feeling perplexed to uneasy. Esse stood rigid and her tone as she spoke was uncharacteristically flat. "What do you want to know?" Elsa asked.

All the candles in the room suddenly extinguished. Moonlight offered some illumination. Hairs on the back of Elsa's neck stood on end. Esse was motionless in the shadows of the room.

An orange glow grew by Esse's left thigh. Elsa spotted a lick of a flame. Esse struck the air with her left arm. Fire flew from it towards Elsa. Elsa parried with a bundle of snow that evaporated on impact with the flames. Esse's left arm remained mid-air. Elsa's right hand hovered mid-air also. Their eyes locked.

Esse made to strike again. Elsa flicked her wrist upwards, encasing Esse's arm in a pillar of ice. Esse struck it with her other hand and it thawed immediately in a burst of flames. Elsa tried to encase Esse's whole body, but again it was thawed. Esse threw a belt of fire at Elsa. Elsa swung her left arm in a semi-circle to create an ice shield and it took the blast for her. Elsa countered by launching a sharp ice crystal at Esse's head but Esse parried it with an intense blast of fire. It splintered the icicle into millions of droplets. The droplets fell to the floor and wetted the room's rug.

Esse smiled and lowered her offensive arm. Elsa didn't dare follow suit.

"What do you want?" Elsa demanded.

Esse threw her hands up in surrender sensing Elsa's anger. "Steady, Elsa. Ever since arriving I've been wondering whether I should reveal my powers to you. I guess I wanted to play a bit first... Test you out. I've never met someone like me before." Esse smiled again.

"You ask for refuge in my kingdom and then attack me in my own home!"

"Oh... well, it sounds awful when you put it like that. I guess I didn't really think this through thoroughly," Esse said while scratching the back of her head. "But listen, we can _help_ each other, Elsa. I can help you refine control over your powers. I've been practicing with my magic since I was practically born and, I hope you won't mind me saying, but I've noticed your skills could do with some fine tuning. Plus, you've done astonishing things with your powers that I've never even thought to try! Like creating living beings, like that snowman! There's _so much_ we could learn from each other." Esse offered a fire-free hand to Elsa. "You help me; I'll help you?"

Elsa considered the offer presented. Esse could have been more tactful in her approach, but the idea of refining control of her powers was certainly attractive. Despite everything, she still feared what she was capable of. Maybe the fire princess could teach her something. Elsa lowered her offensive arm and after a pause, took Esse's hand.

"Your hand is very cool." Esse remarked, relieved her offer had been taken.

"And your hand is hotter than a summer's day," Elsa retorted.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean much coming from a Scandinavian."

Outside, the last of the mysterious figures scoped the party dwellers. They had seen into the ball room by peeking through windows and surveyed the grounds from bushes, unnoticed by the guards. Satisfied that they had seen all they needed to see, they scurried away, disappearing into the night.


End file.
